Daughter of Zeus, Athena was born fully grown from her father's forehead. This Greek goddess has no mother, but there are tales that say Zeus may have been with Metis around the time Athena arrived. Athena is the goddess of wisdom and warfare. She is known for her strategic skill in warfare and is known as “companion of heroes” and is the patron goddess of heroic strive (“Athena”). The Athenians considered her their “protector” and in honor of this, they named their city after her; Athens (“Myths”). She is commonly symbolized with an olive tree. Her sacred animals are the snake and owl. Athena is usually described as a rosy cheeked girl with a muscular body (“Athena”). She was one of the three Greek goddesses that remained a virgin (Littleton 171). Athena is one of the only goddesses that shows heroic skill and wisdom and she is one of the most important Greek and Roman goddesses known during this ancient time period. …show more content…
According to Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology, “Athena showed her courage above all other gods when she single-handedly defended Mount Olympus when it was under threat from Typhon.” Athena fought the monster while provoking her father into action. Once Zeus regained his bravery, Athena threw Mount Etna on top of Typhon, trapping the monster underneath (Littleton 171). As stated in Myths Encyclopedia, “She inspired Odysseus with the idea of the wooden horse, and afterward helped him return home” (“Myths”). Not only did she help provide Odysseus with a well thought out plan, but she helped many other soldiers. A perfect example of this would be when Athena voted that Orestes be pardoned when he was on trial for killing his mother (Littleton 172). Overall, Athena had a major impact on many people through her acts of warfare, courage, and